Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-02-19
A MESSAGE.
From the Governor OF Tennessee to the
General Assembly.
What is Said Of Educational and Other In.
terests.

NieA - So'd W LdushbOfM anu OhUSF III
terests,
Gentlemen OF the Senate and House
OF Rep, esentatiyeG In obedience 10
constitutional requirements, have the
honor 10 submit 10 your honorable
DO les, tins, my first official commune
cation touching the affairs OF the Com
monNe nth, Offering such remarks and
suggestions as | trust may be calcula
ted 10 promote its best interest.
l congratulate you upon the fact that
the circumstances under which you
have me. are unusually suspicious.
Your meeting is signalized by an
epoch OF decided improvement and
progress.
Oar beloved State, although not yet
advanced to that full measure of growth
and prosperity Of which she is so capa-
BILE, and to which she is destined, is,
nevertheless, in better condition now
tn ~ ~ any time since the civil war
Her outlook for the future is full OF
encouragement and hope.
The great question OF our public
debt, once so prolific ofembarrassments
and vexations to our people, has been
settled and forever eliminated from our
politics.
A new and vigorous spirit OF indus
trial enterprises and energy has aroused
our peopie from a state OF enforced
lelhargy. Large accessions of imml-
grafton and capital from other sections
Of the country, attracted by our inn
mense natural resources, and no longer
warned away by iorbidding circum-
stances. have added volume to our in
dustrial forces, and the grand process
OF our material development has al
retuJ anny set IN. Our vast treasures
of coal, lr II, marble and other miner
ais are being opened. Large numbers
of furnaces ARE IN nneration, and many
more are continually being built.
The production of Bessemer steel
from our magnetic ores (Which are
practically free from phosphorus), isno
longer an experiment, and will, ere
long, assume extensive proportions.
Numberless ioundries, machine shops,
factories and mills, for the conversion
of the iron, steel, marble, lumber, wool,
cotton, tooacco, gram and other raw
materials into manufactured articles,
are at work and in p. ocess of erection
in almost every section OF the State.
Railroad enterprise is keeping pace
with these activities, and is projecting
lines through regions OF the State as
vet untouched by capital and labor
though richest of all in mineral and
other resources. Agriculture is pro
gressive in the adoption of improved
methods and machinery, and in the
realization OF better results in alli's de-
partnents. Stock-raising has advanced
to degree which already entities Ten
nessee to take the front rank il
the South for the production o
thoroughbred and graded dorcst ami
mails. Colleges schools and churches
have greatly multiplied throughout thu
State, and education, religion, public
morals, and the social condition of thu
people have sensibly improved.
But while this is all substantially tru'
much yet remains to be done for tn,
State. Indeed, the very process OF ou
growth and development continual!
adds breadth and novelty to the scope
OF our necessities and duties.
The last recent message OF my honor
able predecessor, Gov. Bate, is full, ex
haustive and complete. His task, wei
performed, has lightened my duties
on this occasion and left it unnecessary
for me to enter into any extended dis
cussion OF public affairs already so abb.
treated by him.
feel it my duty, however, to ven
ture few suggestions on several topics
Of commanding importance.
THE REVENUE LAWS.
Taxpayers complain that real estat,
is not equally and fairly assessed; tina
in multiplied instances small proper
ties are taxed on nearly or quite thei!
full value, while large estates are otter
taxed on less than half their true value
Another source Of just complaint is tina
the bulk OF personal property in thu
State escapes taxation altogether; anC
that, consequently, the principal bur
den rests upon the farmers and rea
estate owners. This is evident from
the fact that while the assessment OF
real estate is nearly 5000, 090O0O tina
ON personal property is only about SO,
100000.
! recommend that the revenue law
be so amended as to insure, If possible
an equal, fair and just valuation of al
taxable property in the State, withou
the escape of any, and prompt ant
faithful collection and remittance OF al
taxes levied.
EDUCATIONAL.
BY thorough reformation of our rev
enue system we may SO improve oul
finances as to be able to better provide
for the support of our public schools
but complete and sufficient provision
can hardly be made until our taxable
wealth shall have been greatly increas
ed by more extensive development o
our resources. But until this snail
take place, where shall we look for
complement to the provision we are
able to maker For the children of the
present who cannot wait, how shall ",
supply the great deficit in our schoo
found The masses of our people are
anxlously turning their eyes 10 the Gen
eral Government for aid.
My sense of du,y to the children o
the State compels me to say that il Their,
is a surplus vi money in the Nauona
Treasury not applicable to the paymen
of the national debt, the appropriation